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Today was the day!  I had been thinking and preparing for the Iron Cupcake for weeks, and now its over.  Just like Christmas or a birthday, it’s one of those things that takes forever to arrive, and then in an instant, its done.

First off, let me say that it was a great time overall.  Though, if you had seen me earlier in the morning, you wouldn’t have ever believed the day would have me smiling.

From the beginning!

For days leading up to the competition, I made many a batch of testers.  The people at work are sick to death of eating this stuff…

I had been up till 2:30 am the night before and so when my phone rang at 7:55 am, I snapped into consciousness and grunted into the phone to my mom.  She asked how I was and I replied in muffled and slurred, yet articulate words that I was sleeping.  She then reminded me that the clocks had moved forward.  I knew that.  Scratch that.  I had KNOWN that, but it had escaped me at the time of sleep.  So it was actually 9 am and I was already an hour behind the schedule I had set out. 

After quick thanks to my mom, I hung up and began the Sleepy-Legged Shuffle around my apartment, gathering up the stuff I needed.  About halfway through that task, I realized I was in dire need of some cleansing.  NO ONE would want to talk to me in the state I was in.  After a wake-up shower and getting myself all ready, I realized I was about an arm short of being able to carry everything down to my Jeep.  A quick text to my friend and he was upstairs in a flash to help me get everything down. 

I was nice and early as I had to still go and pick up the items I needed for my display.  So with everything loaded in the car, big cupcakes in the back seat and a tray of minis on the passenger seat, I was off.

Now, I’m going to pause here for a moment and add some pictures.  These are the large cupcakes and minis that I made.

Rest in peace mini cupcakes… Allow me to explain.

I spent HOURS frosting these little guys.  I made coconut frosting and put a layer of white and then covered it in a layer of brown coloured frosting so that it would be like a real coconut.  I then used a fork to spike up the frosting to look like coconut hair.  I was pretty happy with them!

So I was packed up and driving out of the parking garage when the devil driving a blue VW bug came tearing through the parking garage and around a corner and nearly head on into my Jeep.  I slammed on my brakes and my tray of mini cupcakes went ass over tea kettle and landed, tops down, on the muddy carpet of the front seat floor.  I almost threw up all over the windshield.  I pulled over and ran around to the other side of the Jeep, threw open the door and sighed.  It would have been really sad to see a grown man, sitting on the dingy parking garage floor sobbing like a baby and eating mini cupcakes off the dirty floor of a Jeep.  That was almost me.

About five or six were still good so I kept them to the side and gathered up the fallen soldiers.  I drove over to the “For The Love Of Cake” Bakery and went in, basically looking like I had just been punched in the stomach, face, and crotch all at the same time.  Then, true to form, Genevieve and her partner were incredibly nice.  They made it clear that I wasn’t COMPLETELY out of the game.  As it turns out, I was only out of the People’s Choice category since I didn’t have enough for people to taste!  So it was back on!  Back on and I didn’t have anything for my display!  CRAP!

I hauled ass to Walmart, snapped up a Ken and Barbie (beach themed of course) and a bag of graham crumbs.  Then I had to wait half an hour for the Dollarama to open, where I then purchased mini drink umbrellas, straws and Play Dough.  I zoomed back to the event space and began my setup.  Its wicked lame, but fun.  I was having fun and that was really all that mattered to me. 

Here are some pics!

Its supposed to be two people drinking HUGE drinks from coconuts… yeah… HAHAHA!  FUN!  I liked it and people like Barbie so that was a plus! 

Oh and also, about five minutes after I arrived, another contestant arrived.  With Corona and Lime cupcakes.  Not even kidding.  After a brief interlude where I fantasized about jamming the mini umbrellas into my eyes, I just laughed and continued to sculpt my Play Dough into a inflatable mattress…

As the contestants continued to arrive, myself and a couple of others marveled at just how different everyone were.  It was fantastic.  Here are some of the entries…

(the next one is the Corona and Lime one.  Much classier than Barbies.  But as much fun?  I think not.)

(the following one got my vote for both creativity and taste.)

(My new friend and gluten-free cupcake wizard Sarah-Lyn made the following setup.  I tried one of her apple cupcakes.  It was UNREAL.  So delicious.  Check her out at www.ibakecupcakes.com.)

(And this was the winner.  Personally, I didn’t think it was the best tasting or the most creative setup, but it had what the judges wanted!  So congrats!!)

I had a great time and met lots of really nice people.  Not to mention I learned a TON.  Which was really the point.  I will certainly be making my Corona and Lime cupcakes with Coconut Frosting again.  They are moist and tasty.  Nice.

Genevieve also said that the Iron Cupcake is going to be a monthly event.  I had so much fun but I am also glad that participants can’t enter two in a row.  I need a break.  I think its time to start some bread making…  

Mmmm bread…..

Oh and thanks to Ken and Barbie for hanging out, even though they apparently broke up.  What troopers…

MultiMatt